Don't Let Me Drown
by Timid Otaku
Summary: Rook enjoys Ben's company, his cocky attitude and large grin as well as his loud voice,defeating villains with him; It's a nice change from his quiet farm life on Revonnah. Then Kevin Levin shows up, causes some minor chaos for the two then leaves and Rook has noticed that Ben has been acting strange. WARNING: self-harm
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

Rook had taken notice of his best friend/partner's strange behavior, since Kevin Levin showed up, Ben had been acting oddly quiet and stand-offish, Rook had hoped that once Kevin had left, Ben would return to normal, this in fact did not happen.

Rook decided to talk it over with Ben as they were driving back to plumber HQ after they had just finished a successful mission.

"Ben, i understand that your past with Kevin is not an enjoyable from what little your file has told me but why do you act as if he is still here? You continue this quiet and distant behavior, it is unlike you. Not only that, you constantly wear your jacket even when it is so hot due to the summer heat. May i ask why?" Rook waited for a response, Ben gave a soft sigh.

"What my plumber file left out is that I used to date Kevin, we did it in secret because I was nervous….well, one afternoon I caught him cheating on me with some girl, I didn't know her, I don't think it would've mattered if I did. All I know is it hurt alot. We broke up and didn't talk for awhile then before I knew it, Gwen and Kevin went off to college. "Ben explained as they walked down the halls of Plumber HQ.

"I see. How unfortunate, I'm very sorry to hear this, Ben. But you still haven't answered my question of why you wearing your jacket so constantly." Rook replied, casting a glance at his small partner.

"Oh, um, I've been feeling sick lately and it must've screwed up my body temperature. Ya know, feeling hot when it's cold, feeling cold when it's hot. Well, anyway, here's my room. Night, Rook, see ya tomorrow! "Ben replied quickly as he opened his apartment door and practically slammed it shut.

Rook blinked for a moment and frowned at the closed door in front of him. Ben could be an excellent liar at times and this wasn't one of them. The brunette clearly looked healthy, something wasn't right and Rook was determined to find out what Ben was hiding.

The omnitrix timed out just as a bomb was about to go off, it exploded, sending Ben flying through the air, he yelled in slight fear, hoping he wouldn't break any bones or cause internal bleeding when he hit the cement.

"BEN!" Rook shouted with urgency and dashed towards his partner, catching him before he hit the ground. Rook took notice of the medical gauze that peeked out underneath Ben's jacket sleeves.

"Ben, are you alright? Why are you wearing medical gauze? You became injured yesterday and did not tell me?" Rook asked, setting ben down. Ben tugged down his sleeves hard to hide the gauze.

"I'm fine and it slipped my mind, dude. Now, come on, focus. We're on a mission, remember?" Rook nodded but had a determined glint in his eyes; no way was he letting this discussion drop.

Rook glanced in the rear view mirror while on the way back to plumber HQ. Ben was sitting in the back, determined to beat whatever boss on his portable gaming system. Rook sighed as he put the ship in auto pilot, unbuckled himself and stood in front of Ben, who looked up, paused his game and placed it beside him.

"What's up, dude?" Ben asked, Rook said nothing as he grabbed Ben by the arm and pulled down his jacket sleeve in one swift motion, revealing the medical gauze. He pointed to it.

"What is the meaning of this, Ben? You get injured and do not tell me? I thought we were friends and to my understanding, friends do not hide things from one another. "

"Rook, chill, it's not a big deal, really." Rook glanced at the gauze; he smelt a faint metallic scent and noticed how tightly the gauze was wrapped.

"if it is not 'a big deal' then show me your injuries." He saw the small glint of panic in the brunette's eyes, how ever so slightly his leg twitched with nervousness. Something definitely not right with Ben, Rook waited for a response.

"Arrived at destination. "Sounded the computer. The Revonnahgander sighed before letting go of his partner's arm.

"This discussion is not over, Ben. You will take me to your room and show me your injuries. "

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Rook looked around his partner's room, typical Ben. Clothes on the floor, bed unmade, sumo slammer posters on the wall. All of this seemed like the Ben he knew, the Ben he came to enjoy. Not this Ben in front of him, who sat on the bed, looking at the floor. Rook sighed softly and looked at the brunette.

" Ben, take off the gauze, please." Rook had hoped that speaking to Ben in this calm and soothing tone would get him to corporate better. The teen sighed and took off his hoodie, not looking at Rook and with shaking hands he unwrapped his gauze covered arms.

Rook's eyes widened at the scene before him as the same metallic scent from before hit his nose, he felt his legs go weak, he held on to the nearby dresser for support.

"T-these wounds…they are self inflicted, are they not?" Ben couldn't speak, let alone look up at him. He felt so ashamed, the brunette merely nodded.

" why, Ben?"

" i-i don't know, I was upset and-and hurt all at once. W-when Kevin showed up it brought up everything….i-i couldn't handle it, Rook, it was a tidal wave of pain, I felt o-overwhelmed, I wanted it to stop. I didn't want to feel anything!" Ben explained as he broke down in tears, the saltiness of them stinging his cuts.

Rook couldn't pull his eyes away, some were scars and week old scabs, others were still bright red and bleeding ruby life energy. He gritted his teeth, feeling furious, at who, he didn't know. He wasn't sure if he should've been mad at Ben for doing this to himself or Kevin for being the cause of Ben's pain.

This could not be fixed with a ' there, there' and a pat on the head, this was something of a far greater pain and sadness. This was an ocean of pain and inner turmoil for the younger teen.

Ben winced when he felt the tears sting his cuts but kept talking as he whipped away his tears with the back of his hand even though they kept coming.

" Rook, i'm sorry that i did this, i always regret doing it later on but when the pain fills me up that i feel like i'm gonna drown in it, i cut a-and everything just stops and put on pause and-" The brunette suddenly found himself laying on the bed, his alien friend on top of him, gently cradling his face and whipping away his tears. Ben noticed the revonnahgander's eyes were wet as if they were holding back tears and burned with such passion that it was almost too much for the human to bare.

" Ben Kirby Tennyson, I swear to you, as your partner, i will not allow you to drown. I will keep you floating at any cost, on everything that i am, i will not allow this to happen again."

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

" Rook..." The older teen tensed slightly as he felt the younger one cling to him and press his lips against his own, after a moment, rook relaxed and allowed himself to feel his emotions, Ben's emotions, to just let all logic and reason leave for even just for a moment. Rook could feel Ben's demanding hunger to get rid of the heartache, to make the pain stop, the revonnahgander wanted that for Ben and decided to give his best shot to what humans referred to as 'making out'.

Ben had no idea that rook could be so skillful with his hands and tongue but it wasn't just that, he could feel the warmth and gentleness behind each action. When they pulled away for much needed air, Rook saw in Ben's eyes that he felt better but was slightly confused.

" dude, that was awesome, but...why'd ya do it?" The taller of the two flipped them over so now Ben was on top.

" I am ghajik, or the earth term, homosexual." Ben blushed slightly.

" so, um, what? is that common on your home world?" Rook shook his head sadly

" no, it is not. i had found out what i was on my name day and kept hidden for so long, it ate away at me until i could no longer take it and told my parents. At first, they felt a great shame but with time, they adjusted and soon learned to except me. " He explained as he gently took Ben's arm and examined the cuts, scabs and scars that littered his arms in a fast messy fashion. He frowned and looked at Ben with a concerned gaze.

"has magister tennyson found out about this?" Ben shook his head

" no, i always make sure to keep them hidden very well." Rook nodded at his partner, silence built up between the two.

" so, are we dating now or...?" Rook chuckled.

" if you are willing to have me." Ben grinned and hugged Rook tightly.

" Of course, dude!" He replied, flinching slightly as he felt the fabric of rook's proto-tech armor suit brushed against his somewhat still fresh cuts. He suddenly noticed a low throaty rumble, sounding kind of like a motorboat, Ben pulled back to look at his partner.

" Rook, are you actually purring?"

" n-no, of course not" he replied, not looking at ben while blushing and only purring louder.

" oh my god, dude, that's adorable!"

A few weeks had passed since Ben and Rook had started dating and Ben felt great. Rook was better than Kevin was, sure while Rook could be a little too serious at times during missions, he gave Ben the emotional support he needed, plus it was kind of hot when Rook got protective or jealous.

the brunette was watching rook drive the proto-truk while he was half paying attention to his comic, when a thought came to him.

" what do Revonnahgander do for dating?" He mumbled to himself, closing his comic book.

" Did you say something?" Rook asked, glancing at him then placed his eyes back on to the road.

"huh? oh, i was just wondering what your planet does while dating"

" I do not quite understand." Ben ran a hand through his hair in thought.

"like...uh, how do you let others know your taken?"

" oh, we mark one another by biting in a visable place for others to see. Most of my kind do this on the neck since it is the most seen area, others are more modest and do so right here." Rook reached over and gently ran a finger over the space between Ben's neck and shoulder. Despite having a hoodie on and a shirt underneath, the younger teen shivered and blushed. Rook chuckled as he returned back to driving.

" kinky "

"Yes, very." Rook agreed, there was a moment of silence before Ben broke out into a large coy grin.

" you don't know what kinky means, do you?"

"No, i do not" Ben caught himself from laughing

"well, then look it up in the dictionary." He replied as he opened his comic book back up

" i have no need, the computer can look it up for me."

"...what?"

" computer, search for the definition of the word, kinky." The Revonnahgander asked the computer

"searching for the word definition of: kinky" sounded the computer. Ben blushed and buried his face into his comic book as if it would turn him invisible. This was going to be a long ride.

Soon they made it to their destination, , it was a small town, seemed alittle boring to be honest but there had been several reports about strange things going on at night. Ben was grateful for the distraction of the mission, what with the two hour drive of rook looking up the definition of words like 'kinky' and 'foreplay'. It was absolutely embarrassing, the teen hero's face was red the whole way here. He shook his head and hopped out of the proto-truk.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

"it's almost sunset."

"yes, what do you think it could be?" the revonnahgander asked as he got out of the truck and closed the door.

"well, if it only happens at night, i bet it's a bunch of ghost freaks."

"Ectonurites? why would they be here? Ben, i do not think that is likely." Ben gave a confident smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"if i'm right, you owe me 20 bucks." Rook gave a confused look with the slight tilt of his head.

"i will owe you 20 male deer? what would you even do with that many?" Ben laughed a little.

" no,no,no. Dude, bucks is another word for dollars. " Rook nodded in understanding.

" very well, it is a deal. " Ben and Rook shook hands as night fell, soon things started to move or float by themselves. Things were taken from houses by floating out of open windows.

" see? what i tell ya? guess you lost the bet, dude."

"wait a moment, the items have a purple glow around them. Maybe it is an anodite."

" or maybe it's charmcaster." the brunette replied

" either way, i believe it is you who will owe me 20 bucks. " Rook replied with a smirk, Ben pouted.

"yea,yea. a deal's, a deal, dude. " He replied as he activated the omnitrix

Both boys were sore from the mission, turns out it was charmcaster, she was looking for a magical item while stealing from people's houses and stores. Ben and Rook intervened only to have their butts handed to them for the most part. Charmcaster was close to finishing them off until Rook remembered he still had Gwen's book and threw her into a portal, they had no idea where it sent her of course.

They went to their apartment rooms, Ben kicked off his shoes, unzipped his hoodie then tossed it on to a nearby chair. He threw himself on to his bed and rolled on to his back, staring at the ceiling. He raised his arms over him, taking in every detail of his old fading scars and new scabs that went down his arm and suddenly he felt lonely.

He sighed softly then go out of bed while running a hand through his hair and peeked his head out into the hall. Once he saw no one, he ran into Rook's room as the door slide open when he ran into something furry and damp that smelled like tropical bath body wash. Ben stumbled back and fell on his butt.

"ow..." He mumbled as he looked up to see that he bumped into Rook, only in a towel, fur slightly out of place from being rubbed down.

" Beloved, are you alright?" Rook asked as he helped the younger teen up, who blushed in response, unable to pull his eyes away at the scene before him.

" y-yea, i'm fine...Wait, did you just call me beloved? " Ben asked as he watched Rook go over to and rummage through his dresser drawer.

"well,yes. we have been dating for quite some time, is it not customary that we give eachother names?"

" yea, i guess." Ben replied, blushing as he watched Rook head into the bathroom.

Soon, Rook was dressed in his proto-tech armor suit. Ben looked him over, arms crossed.

"what?"

" dude, do you seriously have nothing else to wear besides that?"

" is this a problem? " Ben threw his hands up in the air in slight frustration.

" yes, it is a problem! I mean like what if we go out somewhere? I don't want to treat every single date like a mission, I wanna relax for awhile! " Ben blushed after finishing his outburst, realizing what he had said. Rook watch him,nodding in understanding, feeling alittle guilty that he didn't have much else to wear.

" I apologize, beloved. I will go out later on today and purchase regular clothing. " the brunette ran a hand through his hair.

" no, it's fine. Don't worry about it, babe. " the younger teen blushed and the older raised a non existing eyebrow, looking confused.

" i am a newborn?"

" n-no, just look it up online!" He stammered in reply while blushing bright pink and turning his eyes to Rook's bedroom floor.

"Very well." the revonnahgander glanced at Ben's arm, smiling at little to see nothing new, but saw that his left arm was slightly red and frowned alittle.

"What?"

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